Improvement in corn-planters



2 Sheets-Sheet; 1. l

J. H. WOODGATE.

r Corn-Planter.

No. 209,950. I PatentedNov.12,1878.

M I M6493? v W ATTORNEYS- MPEIEBS, mbm-UYHOERAPHZR. WASHINGTON, u. c.

ZSneats-Shaan 2. J. H. WO-ODGATE.

Corn-Planter.

No. 209,950 Patented Nov.12,1878.

VVTJV'ES ES INVENTOR,

N-PETEHs, PNOTOLITHOGRAPHER, WASHNGTON D C UNITED. STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES H. WOODGATE, or vvAvELAND, INDIANA.

IM PROV'EME'NT IN CORN-PLANTERS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 209,950, dated November 12, 1878; application filed September 21, 1878.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES H. WOODGATE, of Waveland, in the county of Montgomery and State of Indiana, have invented a new and valuable Improvement in Corn-Planters ;.and

I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the construction and operation of the same, reference being had to the annexed drawings, making a part of this specification, and to the letters and figures of reference marked thereon.

Figure 1 of the drawings is a representation of a side elevation of my corn-planter, showing the sulky-wheeldetached. Fig. 2 is a side elevated view of the same. Fig. 3 is a top-plan View, and Fig. 4 is a detailed elongated view, of the adjustable feed-chamber.

My invention relates to a seed-planter 5 and the novelty consists in the construction and arrangement of parts, as will be more fully hereinafter set forth.

The first part of my invention consists in a combined feeding and marking device. Suitably journaled in the frame or body of the machine is an axle or shaft, upon which is hung, rigid therewith, two marking-wheels, preferably of cast metal, of ordinary hub, spoke, and periphery construction. Themarking device is formed by leaving a vacant space, two or more, in the periphery of the wheel; and to secure the requisite strength at these points the spoke is bifurcated, each leg supporting one end of the wheel-rim, where it is severed. When in operation the machine travels on these wheels.

Rigid with the same shaft are two or more Wheels of less diameter, which serve as feeders, having seed-chambers sunk in the outer surface of their rims, and the bottoms-of these chambers are adjustable, so as to control the amount of seed to be sown or planted. These chambers may be of any number, and may be rendered inoperative by forcing their bottoms outward until they are flush with the surface of the Wheel. When used in hill-plantin g they are arranged opposite the marking-cavities. The grain enters the chambers from ahopper, and is prevented from displacement by a semicircular shield, which covers the mouths of the chambers until they have reached their lowest point on a horizontal plane, when the chambers pass from under the shield and the frame at each side is secured the axle upon which the sulk y-wheels are hung. Extending upward from the transverse portion of the frame is a standard,at the upper end of which is pivoted a lever, which in turn is pivoted to The body and the rear end of the body. planting mechanism, comprising one structure, is thus lifted from the ground by pressing down'the handle of the lever, and the weight falls upon the sulky-wheels. Suitable fastenin gs are provided. to hold the lever in position either down or up.

Referring to the drawings, A represents the body, and A the tongue. A shaft journaled inthe body A carries a marking-wheel, O, which, when planting, supports the structure. This wheel 0 revolves with the axle B, and the periphery thereof, being severed at c, furnishes an efficient marking device, the ends of the severed portions being supported by a bifurcated spoke, O. Sunk in the outersurface of a whe l, D, which also revolves with the shaft or le B, are two ormore seed-. chambers, Qhaving bottoms d, adjustable by means of screw-rod, d. E represents the. hopper, and F a semicircular shield, which covers the seed-chambers. An ordinary plow, w, precedes the seed-wheel, and an ordinary coverer, y, succeeds it in operation.

Pivoted to the front of the bodyA is aframe, G, having backwardly-extending sides 9; vertical portions and a transverse portion, G. To the sides 9 I secure axles H, upon which run the sulky-wheels H. A standard, I, vertic'al from the transverse portion G, furnishes a pivotal hearing at z to a lever, J, which, in turn, is loosely attached by a longitudinal slot, j, to aforked standard, K, rising upward from the rear of the body A and rigid therewith.

Pivoted to a The operation of my machine is obvious from the foregoing description.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The combination of the marking-wheel 0, having severed periphery c and bifurcated spoke O, the axle B, and body A with the seed-wheel 1) with adjustable bottoms d d, of corresponding numbers and portions with the markers and with the shield F, as and for the purpose set forth.

2. In a seeding-machine, the marking-wheel 0, having two or more bifurcated spokes, C, and the periphery severed at its junction with thebifurcated spokes, substantially as set forth.

In testimony that I claim the above I have hereunto subscribed my name in the presence of two witnesses.

JAMES H. \VOODGATE.

Witnesses:

HENRY E. RHOAD'S, WILLIAM M. HUTTON. 

